After having to sit out last year’s film awards season due to COVID-19, the 48th Telluride Film Festival made a successful comeback Sept. 2–6 in the Colorado Rockies. A gathering place for some of Hollywood’s starriest talent, and a key predictor of Academy Award hopefuls, Telluride’s COVID-compliant festivities set the stage for what is already shaping up to be a competitive season.
As in years past, the programmers of Telluride held off officially announcing the full festival line-up until just before it began: receiving premieres were over 80 features, shorts, and revival programs representing 29 countries, in addition to artist tributes, panels, and parties. Filmmaker Barry Jenkins, this year’s Guest Director, also collaborated on curating the program.
Barry Jenkins Finds His Through Line, From ‘Moonlight’ to ‘The Underground Railroad’ Among those buzzy premieres are several titles recently acquired by award-winning studios and appearing at other major festivals this fall: “King Richard” (from Warner Bros.) stars Will Smith as father and coach to a young Venus and Serena Williams; “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix) features Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst in Jane Campion’s long-awaited return to cinema; “Belfast” (Focus Features) is actor-director Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographically inspired coming-of-age tale; Mike Mills’ “C’mon C’mon” (A24) features Joaquin Phoenix’s much-anticipated follow-up to his Oscar win; and “Spencer” (Neon) is Pablo Larraín’s newest horror biopic, with Kristen Stewart as the titular Princess Diana.
Telluride’s Silver Medallion Awards, recognizing artists’ contributions to cinema, went this year to Campion tied to the premiere of “The Power of the Dog,” Riz Ahmed of “Encounter” (to be released by Amazon Studios), and Peter Dinklage of “Cyrano” (UAR). Considering most of the last decade’s best picture Academy Award winners bowed at Telluride, Oscar prognosticators are paying attention to such results—even with the Academy ceremony over six months away.
“The past two years have led us to a moment where we truly understand the phrase anything is possible, and we are ready,” said Telluride Executive Director Julie Huntsinger in a statement. “We are full of gratitude and anticipation to head back to our favorite activity—sitting in the dark and watching the very best works our cinematic leaders have created—and find ourselves more in love with film than ever.”
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